One of the most exciting announcements and demos from Google IO 2012 was Project Glass – Google's computerised glasses designed to let wearers use apps, capture images and video, use the internet and social networks on the move. It is hard to argue that Google didn't pull off the demo of a lifetime with Glass, replete with aerial acrobatics, rooftop-landings, bicycle flips, and rappelling — all while being streamed live to the world.

Glass has a processor, memory, and a visual display that is positioned above the eye so that one is able to interact with the virtual world without inhibiting the real one. It has a camera, microphone, and speaker to capture and receive information. It has multiple radios for data communication. Glass also has gyroscopes, an accelerometer, and a compass so the device is aware of its context not only to you, but to your location in the physical world as well.

But in all the fun and excitement of the moment, it is easy to overlook the dynamic capabilities and shift this represents for the next phase in mobile computing. During the keynote, Google touted two main design goals of Glass: communicating with images, and instant access to a broad range of information. Compared to the demo, this information seemed like a footnote. However, it is in these goals, coupled with the audio communication, that we'll see a dramatic shift in the way that we interact with information, people, and work.

We have witnessed over the past several decades an exponential acceleration of access to information. This year, we will witness the last printing of the Encyclopedia Britannica. After 244 years, this method of information access has lost its relevance. We no longer look to printed materials as the first response for queries for information. The internet allows us to get the answer we need fast and cheap. Mobile devices have the added benefit of being able to perform that task from just about anywhere. Glass would take it a step further by not even needing to haul out a device.

But how does knowing a fact faster help us? How can near-instantaneous access to information make a difference? The answer lies in the fact that intelligence is the ability to form ideas based on previous information. We build our thoughts and predictions from previous patterns of information. For example, when you were a small child, you first learned the letters of the alphabet. You then built upon this information by forming words. You then put words together to form sentences. Sentences became paragraphs, paragraphs chapters, chapters books, and so forth. Scientific theories are formed in the same manner. By building upon, and leveraging previous knowledge, we can hypothesise about the world around us. Being able to access smaller patterns of information allows us to develop higher-order ideas.

As well, humans have adapted to process visual information very quickly. We can quickly identify key elements of information from an image. Man, women, fire, on-coming vehicle can all be processed very quickly. Our desire to process information visually over textual means, is one of the key reasons that infographics, Instagram, and Pinterest have risen in popularity. The ability to have visual information readily available on mobile devices is a natural extension of our makeup.

Implications for business

How does a wearable mobile device such as Glass represent a step forward for business? It does so because it provides the ability to interact with relevant data, in real-time and in a collaborative fashion that has never before been possible. Imagine being able to hold a meeting without leaving your current location. It would allow you the ability to simultaneously read email while in that meeting. Need to review a document with a co-worker located across the globe? You could instantly be viewing the document and each other while communicating verbally. Can't recall last quarter's sales data? Stats could always be where you are. The possibilities are immense. Companies would be able to more quickly solve mundane tasks and move on to solving high-order problems, innovations and solutions on a more dynamic level. Individuals within an organisation could spend more time on strategic rather than tactical issues.

This type of mobile computing extends to the business/consumer relationship as well. Imagine a shopping experience where access to real-time information such as product specs, reviews, and comparative pricing is available without needing to use your hands. Or how about needing a little help putting together that shelving unit you just bought from the home-improvement store? You could instantly be engaging with directions or even a live customer service representative. Businesses would be able to engage with consumers in ways far beyond the mobile capabilities of today.

Natural user interfaces that involve vision and voice are in our future. Announcements such as Glass provide a glimpse of the capabilities to come. Their impact upon our daily lives will be as profound as the introduction of the iPhone was five years ago. They will break through new boundaries in mobile computing. It is important to understand the potential of this new class of device today so that we can design apps and services for tomorrow.